Fatigue Reforms * Australia - Unviable, says bus vice-president
The new Heavy Vehicle Driver Fatigue Laws may work for the trucking industry, but are not practical for the bus industry...
Kadina,South Australia,Australia -The Yorke Peninsula Country Times, by Nick Perry -12 August 2008: -- ... according to Bus and Coach Association of South Australia Vice-President, Kadina’s Peter Dunn... Due to be introduced on September 29, the reforms comprise a number of new rules and regulations for all vehicles weighing more than 12 tonnes, including all passenger vehicles over 12 passengers, both privately and government owned... Peter, who has also been a delegate on the National Board of the Bus Industry Confederation, says the rules seem to be primarily designed for the truck industry, and many of the new regulations won’t work for buses... Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure (DTEI) told heavy vehicle industries planning would be the key to running efficiently with the new laws but, Peter says, nobody can plan for a flat tyre, and very rarely for unexpected bad weather or other problems such as bad roads... Similarly, emergency runs will be illegal if they take drivers over the permitted amount of hours in one day... Furthermore, with the new system being split into work hours and rest hours, it means if a driver is conducting a bus tour, they cannot make their passengers a cup of tea, or even guide an elderly person into a shop or toilet, as these count as work time and the required rest break would not be possible... Breaking these laws will incur a number of heavy fines, as will breaches of the new work diary...
Labels: drivers' hours of service
posted by Unknown @ 11:10 AM
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